Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I got my Blendtec about two months ago, and I wanted to wait until it got through one hundred cycles before I posted my review, just to make sure the 'honeymoon' stage was over. For those that are not familiar with the blender, the LCD screen on the base keeps track of how many cycles it has been through. A cycle is basically pushing any button on the blender except pulse. Initial Impressions: I quickly figured out that the blades on the Blendtec work slightly different than the blenders I was accustomed with. The blade doesn't really have an 'upward' angle to it, so if what you're blending will not fall to the bottom of the jar, it will not be blended. The best example I can think of is an orange: previous blender's blades would pull it down into the blades and then keep chipping away at it, but on the Blendtec it would just balance between the center bolt on the blade and the jar wall. But boy, when that fruit was sliced and did get into the blade, there was little left of it. Previous blenders had left me accustomed to fine chunks of whatever I was blending, but the Blendtec could turn a whole unpeeled orange into what looked like orange syrup. I have seen several reviews cite the Blendtec as being excessively loud, but I did not really think that. It IS loud compared to a $12 Durabrand 200 watt blender, but it is not much louder than a higher end (~$60) consumer blender. And the preprogrammed cycles mean you can just start a cycle (around 40 seconds) and walk away. While Racking Up the Cycles: I have primarily used the blender about once a day in an effort to help me work some fruits and veggies in my diet. I have also used it a few times for things like pancake batter and iced drinks. I'm still amazed at how this machine can liquefy a leaf of lettuce or kale. I had tried a few times with other blenders to blend up greens but was usually turned off at how chunky the end result was. One thing I really grew to like was the preprogrammed buttons on the base. After pushing a button, the LCD will start a countdown timer and you can hear the blender running at different speeds to make sure everything in the jar is getting into the blades. This works pretty good 95%+ of the time, but when it doesn't the one piece lid does not allow you to prod the offending piece of matter into the blades. Sometimes I wonder if Blendtec should have integrated a tamper like Vitamix, but for few times it would be needed it would probably just be more of a hassle than a help. If larger things like apples, oranges, and lettuce leafs are diced or chopped before blending it is much less of a problem. Cleaning the Blendtec is by far the easiest blender I have ever cleaned. Because the blades are integrated into the jar, it only has two pieces (jar and lid) compared to traditional blenders that have around six. For the most part after using the blender I just put water and a small amount of soap into the jar and pulse it a few times, rinse it out, and then set it out to dry. The base is also easy to clean since the buttons are not raised, just a quick swipe with a rag. -Conclusions- I give the Blendtec 4 stars because there are a few things that keep it from being perfect. While some of the "don't likes" were not mentioned in the main review, I still feel they are important enough to keep from mentioning. What I liked: -Preprogrammed cycles allowed me to just push and walk away (but still stay close, see below) -The blender's ability to pulverize anything placed into it -Super easy to clean -Very few parts -It is aesthetically pleasing enough that it doesn't seem out of place on a counter if it is left out What I didn't like: -Occasionally all items in the blender would fail to enter the blades, chopping with a knife ahead of time could usually prevent this... But part of me hates dicing food before putting it into a blender. -After about 50 cycles when the blades were spinning down after a cycle it would squeak like an old car's engine. This would only last about a second or two, and I'm not sure if it is even a problem, the blender performance has been unaffected. I just hope it isn't a symptom of a bigger problem. -Of the 100 cycles, once during a cycle the blender starting vibrating violently, causing the blender assembly to rotate on the counter. It then blew the lid off and propelled green liquid on to my upper cupboards and counter top. I am still unsure what caused this, as I was using the same ingredients and cycle I had in the past. I have since kept an extra eye on the blender and refrained from leaving the kitchen completely. What I'm Indifferent About: -Price: If you are reading this review, you already know how expensive the Blendtec is compared to other blenders. While I would not classify this product as a 'must have' kitchen appliance, I still think its performance is far superior to the traditional blender. I realize that this would not come without a price premium. This blender is not a deal, but I also do not feel like I was ripped off either.